Singer/Songwriter J-Council Jon Wheelock fronts the Fox Cities R&B and soul band J-Council. To anyone who’s seen Wheelock live, he’s “the guy with the big voice,” skillfully able to belt out versions of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” or “Shotgun” by Jr. Walker and the Allstars and make them his own. Several J-Council songs are in regular rotation on The Avenue, like “Hold My Heart.” We asked Jon about what’s on his playlist, not surprisingly, they’re the same songs that influence the J-Council sound. The band will have a new album released sometime this summer. We’re looking forward to it! In the meantime you can have a listen to J-Council here https://soundcloud.com/j-council/hold-my-heart and if you haven’t seen them live, get on it! Make sure to follow J-Council on Facebook for show dates and album release news https://www.facebook.com/jcouncilmusic/ “So I'm always on a heavy rotation of music. I listen to a bunch of different things depending on weather, mood, time, who I'm with or who I'm not with. I do have my go to favorites though. Here are a few, in no particular order. Bill Withers, for the heartfelt songs and emotional loss. “Hope She’ll Be Happier” is the song that kind of started all of this J-Council stuff. I performed it with my dad at the chapel for the first time.” love Al Green for his moans and squeals of love and pain. James Brown for his screams and unmatched groove! And Otis Redding, for a bit of all of the above! “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” is a favorite. “Overall the Motown sound will always have my heart. I'm also heavily into hip-hop from the 90s so that definitely sneaks its way into the J-Council sound. “To me music is simply everything." Listen for yourself here: Bill Withers https://youtu.be/HpDXAZtT59s Al Green https://youtu.be/rqqAnjY2Rmo James Brown https://youtu.be/DgukXPbGS1I Otis Redding https://youtu.be/YIlWjhci01U What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! All that’s required is your love for music! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to listeningroom@avenueradio.com – you could be featured in The Listening Room!
3/30/2018 Amanda SharonAvenue On-Air Host Amanda is familiar to Avenue listeners as the midday and Sunday Morning Sunrise host. Amanda brings nearly 20 years of experience to The Avenue, including work at Milwaukee and Denver stations. She’s around a lot of music in her position at The Avenue. What does she listen to when she’s on her own time? Find out here! “So my go to is Tom Petty lately especially Wildflowers. It’s the album that made most of an impact on my life, and by listening to it now, I feel like it’s how I can honor his life and career. “The Doors, of course, are another go to for me. I grew up on them, especially L.A. Woman and The Doors and listening to “Light My Fire” makes any day of the week feel like a Saturday morning for me. The Stones too, “You Can't Always Get What you Want” just makes me feel good. “I am super into Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite’s new release “No Mercy in this Land” https://youtu.be/E2-u7PBKzxI they have released a few of the tracks. But the official release is on Friday. I just love Ben Harper’s voice, and with Musselwhite on harmonica they are unstoppable! And on that bluesy note, I am a huge Keb Mo fan. He is so inspiring as a musician and person, he sings the blues but in a happy way!
“Some others I head back to are Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes) mostly his self titled album. I love “Cape Canaveral” https://youtu.be/Ol7UeGiv7n8 even though it’s sort of a haunting song I love it. “Sausalito” is also a go to for me.” What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! All that’s required is your love for music! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to listeningroom@avenueradio.com – you could be featured in The Listening Room! 3/23/2018 Brett NewskiNomad, Songman, Hi-Fi DIY If you don’t know Brett Newski, that may be because he has existed on the fringe of society & avoided the “American Dream” at all costs. But he’s definitely someone that music fans will want to know. At age 25, he took matters into his own hands by quitting all of his part-time jobs and becoming a full-time nomad, posting up in the nooks & crannies of earth and sub-letting rooms in Vietnam, South Africa, Germany and Wisconsin to write songs & recharge between tours. Newski has received praise from Rolling Stone, Paste, & The Boston Globe and has been compared to Violent Femmes, Jonathan Richman, They Might be Giants, early Weezer, & Frank Turner. This spring Newski decided to bypass the music industry and go straight to the people with his Sub-Urban House Concert Tour: early shows in odd-ball living rooms, lofts, and cozy basements. No late-night clubs, just nice n' early shows in cool, intimate spaces. This editor’s “cozy basement” was one of the stops on his tour and that’s when we got him to share some of his listening picks with us at The Avenue. Brett offers up lots of good listening below, but make sure to check out his own work, too! Brett Newski RIDE music video here https://youtu.be/KW5sn8lhzY0. Where is the world is Brett? www.brettnewski.com/tour Or check out his inner circle here: www.patreon.com/brettnewski1 “We always hear that old cliche "music is the best medicine." It's so over-used, we tend to forget how true it is. “Since I was a little kid, I always had worries that people were pissed off at me, or didn't like me, or that maybe I wasn't useful to anyone. Lots of self-doubt. It turns out that these worries are just irrational thoughts my doctor called general anxiety and depression. “When my worries run rampant and I'm struggling, there are a small handful of albums I use to feel better. They are completely medicinal records and they help almost every time. I hope it is useful to you. “Even if you're not feeling bummed, these are freakin' amazing albums that you may love to infinity. They totally changed the way I look at music.” Rocky Votolato - Makers https://youtu.be/RaG2xINk5B4 Opening track “White Daisy Passing” was deemed the greatest breakup song of all time by modern philosopher Duncan Trussell. Makers gets straight down to the raw core of depression and holds nothing back. Rocky takes you to emotional rock bottom before dropping you back into sweet oxygen just before you run out of breath. AJJ (Formerly “Andrew Jackson Jihad”) - Can't Maintain https://youtu.be/MlthVn0jeoI This one truly pulled me thru the lurch. Sean Bonnette is the bravest songwriter I’ve ever witnessed. His ability to make fun of his own depression places “Can't Maintain” as the most medicinal music on this list. Sharon Van Etten - Tramp https://youtu.be/exJ3AG0JIeo Tramp provides the perfect introspective soundtrack to stare at the ceiling to. I put this record on when I want to think about nothing at all, which is a tricky place to get to. Empty thoughts are the first step to escaping a state of “depresh”. Ezra Furman & the Harpoons - Banging Down the Doors https://youtu.be/Y__nqonGyEo This record redefined the way I look at music. Ezra wrote all of these tunes in his teenage years. Lightning in a bottle. His undeveloped, wobbly vocals are a perfect vent for the agonies of anxiety and depression. Tim Barry - Lost and Rootless https://youtu.be/kUVNfk4xTlk Barry is perhaps the most literal songwriter on the planet. Easily digestible and accurate storytelling make Barry’s raw folk-punk extremely palatable. Barry touches on the burdens of middle age while having a sense of humor about it. Few men have described the obstacles of being an Average Joe in an unforgiving America so accurately. Guster - Ganging up on the Sun https://youtu.be/FrreDSNmT04 Never known as being one of the “super cool bands”, Guster has always focused on songwriting precision over image or “the scene”. We are talking about perfect pop songs here people. “Sun” places you into your own vivid nostalgia and allows you to let go of the past. Felice Brothers - Self Titled https://youtu.be/5pRdYbyw1Jk Raw, underproduced music tends to get overlooked by the masses. I recommend listening to this in big headphones all by yourself on the front porch. The first Felice Brothers record time-travels you into a 1930’s worm hole. If Franklin Delaware Roosevelt liked indie rock, this would be his favorite band. Escape the present with this record. Jessica Lea Mayfield - Sorry Is Gone https://youtu.be/ThjnFCGbP1Y Perfect minimalism record in which Mayfield remains 100% vulnerable in her songwriting. JLM is at the top of her game right at this very moment. Frank Turner - Love Ire Song https://youtu.be/zPOaZfb_aw8 Easily the most optimistic album on this list, Turner’s sophomore breakthrough LP exposes the shams of the status quo in plain English. Love Ire Song encourages us to be happy by sticking to what makes us feel valued, even if those philosophies are unpopular with peers or parents. Chris Staples - American Soft https://youtu.be/vaIS-tY57Zg Massively underrated gem American Soft is the perfect way to vent out melancholy. Staples does the work for you. What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! All that’s required is your love for music! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to listeningroom@avenueradio.com – you could be featured in The Listening Room!
3/16/2018 Marc GoldeRock Garden Studio Marc Golde, is the owner of Rock Garden Studio and a celebrated record producer/musician/song writer in the Fox Valley. He’s also the mastermind and producer behind “Rock Garden Live,” which airs on CW14 (Sundays 4 p.m.). “Rock Garden Live,” is Appleton’s own “Austin City Limits” of sorts, featuring live performances of local musicians. All of this gives Golde a unique vantage point to a lot of great music. So what does he listen to? Read on! “As opposed to most others in my field, I don't consume many different artists' music. The same with movies. I tend to find something I like, become obsessed with it, and play it on repeat till I've devoured everything I can from it. When I discovered The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper as a kid, I had no reason to listen to any other record for a year. “That habit never left me. I'll bet I've listened to both Ryan Adams' Gold and Radiohead's OK Computer at least 500 times, straight through. “These days, I have a new pool of new music, my own recording studio. Every year, there are at least 3 recordings that I can't stop listening to. Only after it's been finished and shrink wrapped can I listen without judgement of my involvement. Once it's done, I can hear it as a fan. This week's obsession song is "Cinci" by Nicolas Raymond. He and Brandon Domer, both formally from The Traveling Suitcase, recorded it at The Refuge with a very inexpensive recording device then brought it in to the studio to edit and mix. I was the Suitcase's biggest fan and I still love what they're working on these days. I'm not sure when they plan to release it as a single or if they might just wait for a full length release. [no link is available for this unreleased single but we’ll be watching for its release! In the meantime get a taste of Traveling Suitcase at Rock Garden Studio here https://youtu.be/RoeAb_j-_dU]
“Another recent musical discovery reminds me of a day in 1994. I walked into a large chain record store to find a huge poster of a real good looking man, on the wall. My knee-jerk reaction was of disgust. Record labels were pushing a bunch of good looking pop stars with little talent, at the time. I stared at this photo thinking "Who is THIS guy? What kind of crap are they pushing now?" Boy was I wrong! It was Jeff Buckley. Once I heard "Last Goodbye" I realized it wasn't his fault for being genetically blessed. https://youtu.be/3MMXjunSx80 "The same thing happened a few weeks ago. While surfing YouTube, I stumbled on a video of a super pretty teenage girl playing on Jimmy Kimmel. I thought she would do some droned-out shoe-gazing nothingness. Once again, I was wrong. Elise Trouw, performed a mashup of Radiohead and Police using a looper and playing all the instruments. And what a beautiful voice. I started the research immediately and found her debut record Unraveling. It's been playing non-stop for over a week. https://youtu.be/u9lAIvLosyg “I must remember to stop prejudging the beautiful people.” What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! All that’s required is your love for music! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to listeningroom@avenueradio.com – you could be featured in The Listening Room! 3/8/2018 Chuck MartenChuck Marten, an Avenue Listener “Chuck” as she is affectionately known in local music circles, is an Avenue listener and serious consumer of live music - she saw, and has cataloged notes on, over 500 live sets in 2017! And lucky for us, she has plenty of opinions and insights to share. Here’s what’s on her current playlist it includes local, independent, new gems and classic masters. You’ll want to check it out! “As a music fan who attends an inordinate amount of shows in the Fox Valley area, I continue to be blown away by the caliber of talent both residing in town and coming through the area! “Appleton’s Stone Arch Sessions have brought in two artists already this year that I had zero prior knowledge of and became an instant fan of. The first of these was Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish. This band is a guitar and drums two-piece out of Grand Rapids, MI and are everything great about the music of 1957 rockabilly with a modern twist. They manage to sound both vintage and fresh at the same time. Jesse has a sly, Little Richard-like performance style that is completely engaging and a total barnburner. Try “Gasoline” off their album Angry. https://youtu.be/j2Q1WzntFxE “The second Stone Arch Sessions artist is Zane Carney. Zane is among the most skilled guitar players around today. His gorgeous guitar playing takes you on an unexpected journey and he has a great expressive voice to go with it. His impressive credits include work with John Mayer, Stevie Wonder, Keith Urban as well as opening for U2, Fergie and The Black Crowes. He is on tour with Johnny Lang currently, which is what brought him to Wisconsin for his first ever visit. Zane is a singer and songwriter in his own right. His sound combines jazz, blues and pop. The gorgeousness of his guitar tone is mesmerizing. He played the best “Cry Me a River” cover I have ever heard. You can hear “Cry Me a River” on Confluence. https://youtu.be/CiSjYeOcwNw Kudos to Taylor Greenwood for continuing to knock it out of the park with bringing quality artists to the Stone Arch Tap Room! “I attended the inaugural Water City Racket Fest in Oshkosh’s historic Algoma Room. This festival featured four Oshkosh bands: Spy V Spy, Haunted Heads, Auralai, and Redshift Headlights; two Appleton bands: Dusk and RedHawks; a Green Bay band: Snowbirds; and Asumaya out of Madison. It was two evenings of great music in a beautiful venue. Standouts for me were Dusk and Redshift Headlights. “Dusk plays a melodic country-tinged soul roots style. Their use of pedal steel and Wurlitzer contribute to their unique sound. Try “(Do The) Bored Recluse b/w Too Sweet” on Bandcamp or “Leaf” from their NPR session on YouTube. https://youtu.be/9xuR1QiaxGE “Redshift Headlights is an Oshkosh collective led by Steve McCabe. Their sound is densely textured with keyboards, guitars, vibraphone, marimba, and trumpet. Their debut album, Inner Voices is a song cycle of songs from the point of view of many different ages. They did a live performance of Inner Voices at Rock Garden Studio featuring 20 musicians. That will give you an idea of the complexity of the texture of their sound. Try “Under This Carpeting” (https://youtu.be/uVxHw9yFgLk) or “Will You Wait” from Inner Voices. “I never stray far from the songwriting masters in my music listening. Lately I have been on a Randy Newman and Leon Russell streak. Newman is the epitome of cutting through the crusty exterior to the warm gooey middle. His songs are angry and sarcastic, but also stunningly beautiful. Masterful writing. “Louisiana, 1927” https://youtu.be/rhro79MS2Co and “I Think it’s Going to Rain Today” are forever favorites. I was lucky enough to find a first issue copy of Leon Russell’s first, self-titled album at record store a few weeks back. I can’t stop listening to this gem. The enormity of this man’s talent was evident from the first record. Heavy hitters such as “A Song for You” (which nearly everyone knows, but not all know Russell wrote) https://youtu.be/37dw2r45Xzg and “Delta Lady” are included.” What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to annk@avenueradio.com - you could be featured in The Listening Room!
3/2/2018 Rob MoorePresident & Programming Director, The Avenue The Avenue’s playlist is unusual because it is handcrafted and the man behind what you hear on 91.1 is Rob Moore. Rob has over 30 years of radio programming experience and when asked to explain how he puts together The Avenue playlist his passion for the music shows. He’ll tell you that he looks to bring just the right balance and flow to each day’s playlist, each hour, each set. He considers tone, tempo, feel, and style of music creating a mix of old and new to create The Avenue’s unique sound. Here’s a peek at what Rob listens to when he’s not playing music for himself. “I've been listening to a lot of 80's alternative music lately, which I contend holds up much better over time than the 80's-synth pop hits of that era, at least for me. Some lasting albums in this genre include China Crisis’ “Diary of a Hollow Horse” (https://youtu.be/k2ujsk0uuAg) or “Flaunt the Imperfection,” the Style Council’s “The Singular Adventures of the Style Council,” (https://youtu.be/rmVkOlZFF3Y) and Elvis Costello's “Get Happy” (https://youtu.be/tocopb5wFJc) “For a change of pace, I like to throw on anything with Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, the “Best Of” collection, or “Ella and Louis For Lovers” (https://youtu.be/kVq4Mcj2Tyg). I would say that I think these Ella/Louis recordings will hold up forever, but they already have.”
What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to annk@avenueradio.com - you could be featured in The Listening Room! local singer/songwriter What I’m currently listening to on the local front is Tom Thiel’s new album “Old Shadows.” You can get a sample here https://www.tomthielmusic.com “On my turntable right now is “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme” one of my favorite Simon & Garfunkel albums. I also was just listening to Warren Zevon’s "Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School” for quite awhile. Warren Zevon is one of my favorite songwriters, and in my opinion very underrated. He gets a bad rap for “Werewolves of London,” but he has so many great songs. “On my phone right now is Sufjan Stevens “Illinoise.” (https://youtu.be/c_-cUdmdWgU) And I have a Colin Hay playlist that I turn to often. I usually listen to a lot of playlists that I’ve made for the moods that I’m in. "To me there are no better current songwriters than Ryan Adams, and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), so they get the heaviest rotation with me. These two guys just have a way of writing very descriptive lyrics that can really transport you to different places. Dawes’ “We’re All Gonna Die” and “All Your Favorite Bands” (https://youtu.be/I74C2hClAsA) are albums I listen to pretty regularly, and for Ryan Adams’, “Ashes & Fire,” “Heartbreaker,” and “Gold” probably get the most plays. https://youtu.be/-tL4DdYzcxg “Growing up I was listening to a lot of my dad’s favorites, and these have stuck with me through the years: Bob Dylan, James Taylor, and CSNY. “Helplessly Hoping” is a song that I can listen to limitlessly. “When it’s time for bed (I sleep with headphones on) I turn to the classics. I absolutely love the soundtrack to the 1931 “Dracula” (Philip Glass: Dracula https://youtu.be/oXoKbnfvftw). Nothing beats a good haunting string quartet. I also love to listen to Bernard Herrmann’s works composed for Alfred Hitchcock films, such as “Vertigo,” “North by Northwest,” and “Psycho.”
Learn more about Kurt in this article from Fox Cities Magazine http://foxcitiesmagazine.com/2017/12/fox-cities-amplified-kurt-gunn/ Sample his music and see where he’s performing at http://kurtgunn.com What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to annk@avenueradio.com - you could be featured in The Listening Room! 2/16/2018 Taylor GreenwoodNorlund and Tyler & The Streeters Taylor is a very busy guy, perhaps you recognize him from behind the drum kit – he plays with Norlund (who you can hear on The Avenue) and Tyler & The Streeters. Or maybe you’ve seen him on Tuesdays at the Stone Arch Tap Room making sure the music comes off perfectly – he’s the guy responsible for booking the many fine bands who perform there. And in his spare time, he also works with Mile of Music! So, because Taylor is so steeped in music, we figured he’d be a great contributor to The Listening Room. And he does not disappoint! His current artist list will keep your ears busy. So, let’s get funky with Taylor! “Music is my favorite thing in the world, and it has been as long as I can remember. My tastes vary and it’s really hard to pick just a couple." “In my car right now: Barnstar! A bluegrass band from Massachusetts led by my all time favorite songwriter, Mark Erelli.” Sample them here with “When My Time Comes,” https://youtu.be/OLhDQWvOCPo “On the record player: Zammuto – Amazing band that fills my weird, artistic musical needs. Their live performances are synced with videos and their precision is truly amazing.” Here’s a link https://youtu.be/K9DNauhNoRQ for a good example. “I LOVE funk and soul. Getting equal time on my iPod these days are the following artists: Alecia Chakour & The Osrah https://youtu.be/z29Hjy0pHz0, Soulive https://youtu.be/PdGe0BsbEt8, Allen Stone https://youtu.be/wN5MQBRv8oc, Vulfpeck https://youtu.be/jRHQPG1xd9o, Organ Freeman https://youtu.be/4c-Nrda8upI and Snarky Puppy (a bit more jazz) https://youtu.be/L_XJ_s5IsQc “Apollo Sunshine might be my favorite band in the world. Always perfect for a higher energy psychedelic rock fix.” Listen to “Breeze” https://youtu.be/TJDe6fubxyk What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to annk@avenueradio.com - you could be featured in The Listening Room!
Dead Horses Because we’re so excited about new music coming from Dead Horses, we’ve asked Sarah Vos to share her current listening selections with us – and she always gives us so many gems to sample! Dead Horses will kick off their tour for “My Mother the Moon” in Appleton on March 29 at the Outeredge Stage. For a full tour schedule go to deadhorses.net Last summer a few of my friends kept telling me to listen to this band, Big Thief. They are an indie/rock/folk band out of Brooklyn – fronted by a woman who has this incredibly refreshing rawness. I listened to their record "Capacity" and couldn't quite make it through. Since then, I have discovered the record song by song. It's the opposite of how I usually discover new records. I think perhaps the rawness was a little too uncomfortable to me at the time. The way we personally experience music evolves. My favorite things about this record are the realness of the lyrics, the authentic and raw way that they come across. I could, but I wouldn't call the music simple – but it is delicate and at times unnerving and captures a folk/indie/alternative quality of roots music that I myself would love to make. Here’s the title cut https://youtu.be/Y9Ppc8ToFO8 “Jackson C. Frank's “Blues Run the Game” has been in and out of my life throughout the last ten years, and it's back on my regular playlist. Nick Drake does a pretty cool version, and Laura Marling too. https://youtu.be/f4it9vK6G7o
“Ripple” by Grateful Dead fell back into my lap at the end of the year and I've kept that in my music diet too. https://youtu.be/671AgW9xSiA “Kings of Convenience have some great records as well as singles – I've really been into this one “Know-How” featuring Fiest. This song is always good but I love listening to it on planes and subways. It's got this great groove. https://youtu.be/HuJOswNKuwo “The last one I must mention has been a significant go-to for a while now – Bonobo. I really love his album "Days to Come." It's pretty chill electronic with jazz overtones. He works with other artists and tours solo or with a full band.” https://youtu.be/4uOYNa6mf-s What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to annk@avenueradio.com - you could be featured in The Listening Room! 2/2/2018 Ann KoenigThe Avenue Community Relations Director Ever notice how one song leads you to another, and another after that, and pretty soon an entire afternoon has passed as you’ve taken an unintended journey down a musical memory lane? This happened to me recently and it all started with a comment made by James McMurtry at The Riverside Theater last week. His comment about The Continental Club in Austin, Texas got me nostalgic for the times I visited the club. One of the artists I probably saw there the most was Toni Price, an Austin-based country blues singer. I love the stories she tells so sweetly through song. Here’s how the musical dominoes fell: I started with a couple beauties from Toni Price - Low Down and Up https://youtu.be/sBVewHGptSc West Texas Lullaby https://youtu.be/z3uvKJNcUbg Toni Price led to Marcia Ball (familiar to Avenue listeners), who along with Angela Strehli and Lou Ann Barton were Austin’s leading ladies of the blues. I’d seen them perform at Antone’s, and their Dreams Come True album was the best-selling release of all time on the Antone’s label. Here’s Love, Sweet Love from that album https://youtu.be/z_QIPQhSFXQ Next came Susan Tedeschi, another Austin favorite, who Avenue listeners will know from Tedeschi Trucks band. I came to know her in 2002 with her release of Wait for Me. I think I wore this album out when it was released and it’s still a favorite today. Here’s Susan performing the title track https://youtu.be/DvvlLs8ScIQ
Susan Tedeschi led to Dr. John, which led to Sue Foley followed by Lyle Lovett, Francine Reed and Delbert McClinton. You get the idea because you’re Avenue listeners and this is how we roll! What are YOU listening to? We’d love to hear! Send your current playlist and a few words about it to annk@avenueradio.com - you could be featured in The Listening Room! |
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4/6/2018
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